Server system

ABSTRACT

A server system includes a rack, a power supply module, a switch, and a plurality of servers. The rack can be divided into a plurality of rack units. The rack units are parallel to each other and vertically arranged. The power supply module and the switch are disposed in close proximity to each other in at least one of the rack units. The power supply is adjacent to the rear side of the rack. The switch is adjacent to the front side of the rack. Each of the servers is disposed in one of the other rack units and electrically connected to the power supply module and the switch.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number100214923, filed Aug. 11, 2011, which is herein incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a server system, and more particularly,to a server system that is able to increase the denseness of serverstherein.

2. Description of Related Art

Motherboards in a rackmount server are slidably disposed in a rack.Based on this concept, a whole server system can be regarded as a largerack, and a plurality of drawers for horizontally carrying servers canbe installed in the rack. Motherboards are disposed on the drawers to beconnected to the servers. In order to transmit signals, a plurality ofconnectors are disposed on each motherboard to enable series connectionswith other motherboards, so as to improve the multitasking ability ofthe server system and achieve high computing performance.

A rack unit is a unit of server defined by the EIA (ElectronicIndustries Alliance). One rack unit is commonly referred to as “1U,” tworack units as “2U,” and so on. The height of one rack unit is 1.75inches, and the width of one rack unit is 19 inches. The height of tworack units is 3.5 inches, but the width of two rack units is still 19inches. Accordingly, no matter how the internal components in a serversystem of N rack units are arranged, they must fall within thelimitation of the height of the server system.

Generally, a server includes a host, a power supply module, andtransmission lines. The power supply module is used to provide necessaryelectricity to the host, and the transmission lines are used toelectrically connect components of the host. Each of the motherboardsfurther has a hard disk carrying rack for carrying a plurality of harddisks.

SUMMARY

The invention provides an improved server system. The server system ofthe invention integrates power supplies, each of which is disposed atthe back of one server, into a power supply module, and installs thepower supply module and a switch respectively at a front side and a rearside of the same rack unit in a rack, so as to reduce the amount ofspace used in the rack and thus allow for the installation of moreservers. Moreover, in order to reduce the quantity and total length ofcables used in the server system, the invention further places the powersupply module and the switch at a center location of the rack andadditionally designs a line bracket for attachment of a transmissionline of the switch. Therefore, the invention can overcome both spacelimitations and difficulties associated with cable management, so as toobtain higher denseness of servers using the same rack structure.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a server system includes arack, a power supply module, a switch, and a plurality of servers. Therack can be divided into a plurality of rack units that are parallel toeach other and vertically arranged. The power supply module and theswitch are disposed in close proximity to each other in at least onerack unit. The power supply module is adjacent to the rear side of therack. The switch is adjacent to the front side of the rack. Each of theservers is disposed in one of the other rack units and electricallyconnected to the power supply module and the switch.

In an embodiment of the invention, the at least one rack unit in whichthe power supply module and the switch are disposed is near the centerof the rack.

In an embodiment of the invention, the server system further includes apower distribution unit. The power distribution unit is disposed in therack. The power distribution unit is detachably connected to the powersupply module and the switch for providing external electricity to thepower supply module and the switch.

In an embodiment of the invention, the switch is detachably connected tothe power distribution unit by a power line. The server system furtherincludes a line bracket. The line bracket is disposed in the rack andlocated at the back of the switch. The power line is attached to theline bracket.

In an embodiment of the invention, an end of the line bracket ispivotally connected to the inner wall of the rack. The line bracket ispulled to rotate by the power line when the switch is taken out from thefront side of the rack.

In an embodiment of the invention, the server system further includes acable tie for attaching the power line to the line bracket.

In an embodiment of the invention, the server system further includes anuninterruptible power supply. The uninterruptible power supply iselectrically connected to the power distribution unit and the powersupply module.

In an embodiment of the invention, the server system further includes aplurality of fan modules. The fan modules are disposed at the rear sideof the rack for dissipating heat generated by the power supply module,the switch, and the server units.

In an embodiment of the invention, the power supply module iselectrically connected to the server units utilizing data busconnections.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are by examples, and are intended toprovide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the followingdetailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to theaccompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1A is a front view of a server system according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 1B is a partial front view of the server system in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a side view of the server system in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B is a partial side view of the server system in FIG. 2A; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view near the center of the server system in FIG.1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of theinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

An improved server system is provided. Specifically, a server system ofthe invention integrates power supplies, each of which is disposed atthe back of one server, into a power supply module, and installs thepower supply module and a switch respectively at a front side and a rearside of the same rack unit in a rack, so as to reduce the amount ofspace used in the rack and thus allow for the installation of moreservers. Moreover, in order to reduce the quantity and total length ofcables used in the server system, the invention further places the powersupply module and the switch at a center location of the rack andadditionally designs a line bracket for attachment of a transmissionline of the switch. Therefore, the invention can overcome problemsassociated with both space limitations and cable management, so as toobtain higher denseness of servers using the same rack structure.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a server system 1 according to an embodimentof the invention. FIG. 1B is a partial front view of the server system 1in FIG. 1A.

As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the server system 1 according to theembodiment of the invention includes a rack 10, a power supply module12, a switch 14, and a plurality of servers 16. The components disposedin the server system 1 of the embodiment will be described in detailbelow.

As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the rack 10 of the server system 1 canbe divided into a plurality of rack units. The rack units in the rack 10are parallel to each other and vertically arranged. The rack units inthe rack 10 can be divided into central rack units 100a, upper rackunits 100b, and lower rack units 100c. The power supply module 12 andthe switch 14 can be disposed in close proximity to each other in atleast one central rack unit 100a, at least one upper rack unit 100b, orat least one lower unit 100c in the rack 10. The power supply module 12of the server system 1 is disposed adjacent to the rear side of the rack10. The switch 14 of the server system 1 is disposed adjacent to thefront side of the rack 10. Each of the servers 16 in the server system 1is disposed in one of the other rack units, and is electricallyconnected to the power supply module 12 and the switch 14. Therefore,each of the servers 16 of the server system 1 can exchange data with theswitch 14 and can be uniformly powered by the power supply module 12.

In the embodiment of the invention, the power supply module 12 and theswitch 14 of the server system 1 are disposed in close proximity to eachother in three rack units that are near the center of the rack 10, butthe invention is not limited in this regard.

In the embodiment of the invention, in order to reduce the quantity andtotal length of cables used in the server system 1, the power supplymodule 12 and the switch 14 of the server system 1 are disposed in closeproximity to each other in at least one central rack unit 100a that isnear the center of the rack 10.

FIG. 2A is a side view of the server system 1 in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2B is apartial side view of the server system 1 in FIG. 2A.

As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the server system 1 further includes apower distribution unit 18. The power distribution unit 18 of the serversystem 1 is disposed in the rack 10 and is detachably connected to thepower supply module 12 and the switch 14. Through such a connection, thepower distribution unit 18 of the server system 1 provides externalelectricity to the power supply module 12 and the switch 14.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view near the center of the server system 1 inFIG. 1A.

As shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 3, the switch 14 of the server system 1 isdetachably connected to the power distribution unit 18 by a power line14a. The server system 1 further includes a line bracket 20. The linebracket 20 of the server system 1 is disposed in the rack 10 and locatedat the back of the switch 14. The power line 14a is attached to the linebracket 20 of the server system 1. Furthermore, an end of the linebracket 20 of the server system 1 is pivotally connected to the innerwall of the rack 10 via an axis 200. Through such a configuration, theline bracket is pulled by the power line 14a to rotate when the switch14 is taken out from the front side of the rack 10. In other words,because the line bracket 20 of the server system 1 can rotate relativeto the inner wall of the rack 10, the power line 14a of the switch 14will not be damaged or severed by the pulling force between the switch14 and the line bracket 20 when the switch 14 is taken out from thefront side of the rack 10.

In the embodiment of the invention, the server system 1 further includesat least one cable tie 20a. The cable tie 20a of the server system 1 canbe used to attach the power line 14a of the switch 14 to the linebracket 20, so that the power line 14a of the switch 14 is disposed inthe rack 10 in a more organized manner. Hence, the power line 14a of theswitch 14 will not hook onto components in the server system 1 and causedamage when the switch 14 is taken out from the front side of the rack10.

In an embodiment of the invention, the server system 1 can include anuninterruptible power supply. The uninterruptible power supply of theserver system 1 can be electrically connected to the power distributionunit 18 and the power supply module 12. The uninterruptible power supplyof the server system 1 can be disposed near the power supply module 12to continuously power the power supply module 12, but the invention isnot limited in this regard.

As shown in FIG. 3, the server system 1 further includes a plurality offan modules 22. The fan modules 22 of the server system 1 are disposedat the rear side of the rack 10 for dissipating heat generated by thepower supply module 12, the switch 14, and the server units 16.

In one embodiment of the invention, the power supply module 12 of theserver system 1 is electrically connected to the server units 16utilizing data bus connections. The power supply module 12 of the serversystem 1 transmits alternating current to the servers 16 over and underthe power supply module 12 by bus bars, so as to maintain automaticpower balance. However, the type of electrical connections used betweenthe power supply module 12 and the servers 16 is not limited in thisregard.

According to the foregoing recitations of the embodiments of theinvention, it can be seen that the server system of the inventionintegrates power supplies, each of which is disposed at the back of oneserver, into a power supply module, and installs the power supply moduleand a switch respectively at a front side and a rear side of the samerack unit in a rack, so as to reduce the amount of space used in therack and thus allow for the installation of more servers. Moreover, inorder to reduce the quantity and total length of cables used in theserver system, the invention further places the power supply module andthe switch at a center location of the rack and additionally designs aline bracket for attachment of a transmission line of the switch.Therefore, the invention can overcome both space limitations anddifficulties associated with cable management, so as to obtain higherdenseness of servers using the same rack structure.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure of the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present inventioncover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A server system comprising: a rack divided into aplurality of rack units that are parallel to each other and verticallyarranged; a power supply module and a switch disposed in close proximityto each other in at least one of the rack units, wherein the powersupply module is adjacent to a rear side of the rack, and the switch isadjacent to a front side of the rack; a plurality of servers, each ofthe servers being disposed in one of the other rack units andelectrically connected to the power supply module and the switch; apower distribution unit disposed in the rack, wherein the switch isdetachably connected to the power distribution writ unit by a powerline; and a line bracket disposed in the rack and located at a back ofthe switch, wherein the power line is attached to the line bracket;wherein an end of the line bracket is pivotally connected to an innerwall of the rack, and the line bracket is pulled to rotate by the powerline when the switch is taken out from the front side of the rack. 2.The server system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rack unit inwhich the power supply module and the switch are disposed is near thecenter of the rack.
 3. The server system of claim 1, wherein the powerdistribution unit is detachably connected to the power supply module andthe switch for providing external electricity to the power supply moduleand the switch.
 4. The server system of claim 1, wherein an end of theline bracket is pivotally connected to the inner wall of the rack, andthe line bracket is pulled to rotate by the power line when the switchis taken out from the front side of the rack.
 5. The server system ofclaim 1, further comprising a cable tie for attaching the power line tothe line bracket.
 6. The server system of claim 1, further comprising aplurality of fan modules disposed at the rear side of the rack fordissipating heat generated by the power supply module, and the switch,and the server units.
 7. The server system of claim 1, wherein the powersupply module is electrically connected to the server rack unitsutilizing data bus connections.
 8. A server system comprising: a rackdivided into a plurality of rack units that are parallel to each otherand vertically arranged; a power supply module and a switch disposed inclose proximity to each other in at least one of the rack units, whereinthe power supply module is adjacent to a rear side of the rack, and theswitch is adjacent to a front side of the rack; a plurality of servers,each of the servers being disposed in one of the other rack units andelectrically connected to the power supply module and the switch; apower distribution unit disposed in the rack, wherein the switch isdetachably connected to the power distribution unit by a power line; anda line bracket located in the rack and at a back of the switch, whereinthe power line is attached to the line bracket; wherein an end of theline bracket is pivotally connected to an inner wall of the rack and theline bracket is pulled to rotate by the power line when the switch istaken out from the front side of the rack.
 9. The server system of claim8, wherein the at least one rack unit in which the power supply moduleand the switch are disposed is near the center of the rack.
 10. Theserver system of claim 8, wherein the power distribution unit isdetachably connected to the power supply module and the switch forproviding external electricity to the power supply module and theswitch.
 11. The server system of claim 10, further comprising anuninterruptible power supply to provide continuous power to at least oneof the power supply module and the power distribution unit.
 12. Theserver system of claim 8, further comprising a cable tie for attachingthe power line to the line bracket.
 13. The server system of claim 8,further comprising a plurality of fan modules disposed at the rear sideof the rack for dissipating heat generated by the power supply module,the switch, and the servers.
 14. The server system of claim 8, whereinthe power supply module is electrically connected to the rack unitsutilizing data bus connections.